


Vulnerable

by qtpiejay



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Comforting, Grieving, M/M, Richie’s hurting, Sad but cute, sort of fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 15:50:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13639401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qtpiejay/pseuds/qtpiejay
Summary: The death of Richie’s parents brings out a side of him he never knew existed.





	Vulnerable

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a a long time ago but made it a bit longer. Hope you like it.

The sound of crickets chirping in the background was all Eddie heard. Well, except for his own heart nearly beating out of his chest. He had asked Richie to meet him at his house, and he could only pray his boyfriend would show up. 

The tall boy hadn’t really spoken to Eddie much since... losing them. But Eddie couldn’t find it in himself to blame Richie. He knew what it was like to lose a parent, but he couldn’t imagine losing both. Granted, Richies parents were neglectful but... they were still Mom and Dad. 

So he sat. He sat and he waited for the infamous tapping on his sparkly clean window. Eddie felt his throat closing up, but he forced himself to suck it up, knowing that if Richie actually did show up, Eddie would have to be strong for him. For the both of them. 

And there it was. Eddie was up in an instant, unlocking the window and grabbing the taller boys arm to help him in. He had his backpack on, and he wore black jeans and a black tee shirt. Uncharacteristic, Eddie thought. 

“Hi,” he said, dropping his bag onto the floor lightly. He sat on Eddies bed immediately, his eyes dark and gloomy. 

“Hi, baby,” Eddie cooed, shutting the window and locking it. He turned to see Richies brows furrowed tightly, his leg bouncing swiftly. “How’re you feeling?”

Richie sighed heavily. “I don’t... know, Eddie. I don’t know how I feel. I feel empty, I don’t feel anything.” He took his bottom lip in between his teeth, biting down so hard he could have drawn blood. 

Eddie didn’t know what to say. He refused to tell Richie that it was going to be okay, because truthfully, he wasn’t sure if things were going to be okay. He stood there and stared at Richie, brows knitted tightly together just like his boyfriends. 

Richie held out his hand, and Eddie took it, allowing Richie to tug him in between his legs. The taller boy let his head fall forward to rest on Eddies belly, while Eddie let his fingers gently brush through Richies chocolate curls. “Eddie...”

“Hmm?” Eddie hummed, letting his cheek rest on top of Richies head while his fingers continued to play with the taller boys hair. 

“I can’t...” Richie mumbled, sinking deeper into Eddies embrace and squeezing his arms around his waist. “I can’t lose you either.” His voice was so quiet, barely above a whisper. Eddie felt his heart breaking as he pulled back to bring Richies cheeks into his hands, kissing his forehead delicately. 

“You’re not going to, Richie. I’m not going anywhere, okay?” He continues to pepper Richies face with soft kisses, stopping only when he began to taste Richies salty tears on his lips. 

Richie couldn’t hold them in anymore. This was his breaking point. He had been so empty before, and losing his parents was made him feel like he was being sucked into a fucking black hole. He’d loved them, of course, but it always felt like he was supposed to. Like it was his job. They had created him, that’s all. But the thought of losing Eddie was too much to fathom. Eddie kept him happy. Eddie kept him feeling loved. Richie would go insane if anything ever happened to his Eddie. The smaller boy felt his own tears slipping down his cheeks as Richie sobbed into his belly, soaking Eddies shirt. He let Richie cry until he couldn’t anymore. Until there was nothing left in him. 

“You won’t go anywhere?” Richie asked softly, still wrapped tightly around Eddies waist. “Because I don’t know what I’d do without you, Eds. I don’t think I’d be alive if it weren’t for you.”

Eddie choked back a sob. “I could never leave you, Richie.” God, he was supposed to be strong for Richie. Richie wasn’t weak, fuck no. Richie was the strongest person Eddie knew. But jeez, even Richie had a breaking point. “Get that thought out of your head, okay? I could never, ever leave you.”

“I love you, Eddie, I really do.” He began to sob again, and part of Eddie feared he’d become dehydrated. He forced his tears to go away and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. 

“I love you so much more.”

Eddie pulled away. Richies face was puffy, eyes still gloomy but looking somewhat clearer. He took his bottom lip into his teeth again, fingers drawing mellow circles into Eddies hips. “Let’s lay down.”

And so they did. Eddie slipped Richies glasses off of his face and set them onto the nightstand carefully. Richie tugged off his shirt, throwing it somewhere onto the floor. Eddie didn’t mind. His Richie was hurting right now. 

The taller boy cuddled into Eddies chest and let his hair be played with. Richie placed a soft kiss on Eddies collarbone. “Truly, Eds, don’t know where I’d be without you. Thank you for all that you do for me.”

Eddie felt himself grinning softly. “You do so much more for me than I do for you,” he said softly, feeling Richie shake his head against his chest. His curls tickled Eddies neck, but again, he couldn’t find it in himself to care. 

“Not true. But I can feel myself drifting off. Good night kiss?”

Somehow, even as Richie was in pain, even as his heart was nearly shattered, the playful tone in his voice remained. Eddie sort of admired that. He grinned, tilting his head down to connect their lips softly. 

“I love you, dork. Go to sleep, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know, Eds,” he said. “I love you too.”

—

The next morning was sort of a blur. Eddie was up before Richie, as he always was, but he could still feel the tension in Richies shoulders. His cheeks were still a little puffy but at least he was sleeping seemingly soundly. 

God, Eddie just wanted Richie to be safe. Happy. Loved. And he was so loved. Not just by Eddie, but by his friends. They all loved Richie more than words could ever possibly explain. Richie could be an asshole sometimes, annoying and a little too loud, but that was Richie. Richie had the guts to be himself and not give a fuck about what anyone thought. Richie was kind and funny and soft and pure and strong and caring and Eddie always felt like he didn’t deserve him. 

He felt Richie beginning to stir awake. “G’morning, sleepyhead.”

Richie yawned loudly. “Mornin’ cutie.”

The first thing Eddie noticed was that dark, gloomy look in his eyes. This was going to take some time, Eddie knew that, but it hurt so bad. There was only so much he could do for Richie. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” Richie hummed, snuggling his face into Eddie’s neck. “I’m alright, Spaghetti Head.”

But he wasn’t. Eddie was no fool. He didn’t argue, though, because while Eddie could only do so much, this was something Richie had to somewhat do on his own. Eddie could only encourage him. And he would do so gladly, of course. Because Richie deserved to be happy. Richie deserved better, caring parents. Eddie made a nonverbal promise to Richie that he was going to be there for him no matter what. But he also knew that Richie didn’t need him. Richie was strong. Richie was independent and smart. But they loved each other. 

“It’s okay not to be,” he replied quietly, rubbing soft circles on Richies back. He felt the taller boy sigh. “I know you’re strong, Richie. Fuck, you’re so strong. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

Richie closed his eyes and pressed a soft kiss to Eddie’s collarbone. “I know I don’t, Eddie. You’re the only person I feel comfortable making myself vulnerable around, alright?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he placed a sweet, loving kiss on Richies forehead, as if to say he appreciated Richies words. “I’m not ever going to take that for granted.”

“I don’t expect you to. You’re the love of my life, Eddie. You’re stuck with me, baby.”

Eddie grinned, tangling his legs with Richies and pulling him tighter into his chest. “I’m okay with that. As long as you’re okay with being stuck with me.”

Richie chuckled lowly. “Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> What’d you think?


End file.
